Sat 30 Nov 2024
Sandbach v WPRFC
30th November 2024 – Park suffer heavy defeat with a gritty performance
Sandbach 89 – 15 WPRFC
This week Park travelled to Sandbach for the first time this season with a rearranged squad due to unavailability. The conditions were good, but this was going to be a very tough outing with Sandbach currently sitting in third in the league with seven wins from nine games.
Park started the game and won the first and contest and attacked the Sandbach defence with strong carries, we moved the ball well in the early exchanges and released Jack Fenner on the wing on a couple of occasions, but Sandbach held strong with their defence. Park worked hard in the early stages in both defence and attack but on 9 minutes Sandbach showed their strength and scored their first converted try in the left corner (7-0). A mistake from the restart gave Sandbach another opportunity and with a great line from their centre off the scrum half ran in their second converted try (14-0). Park continued to work together to disrupt Sandbach ball, but a few unforced errors gave Sandbach too much field position and possession and led to try number three on 18 minutes which was converted (21-0). Park regrouped and defended well and with ball in hand made ground but could not get enough momentum to challenge the Sandbach try line and on 30 minutes Sandbach scored their bonus point try which was converted (28-0) from Park indiscipline under pressure and a short-range scrum half try of the base of the ruck. Park did get a breakthrough on 33 minutes with a sustained attack with strong carries from our forwards and with quick ball from the ruck, Phil Lynch made a break through the Sandbach defence and offloaded in the tackle to Jack Fenner to score in the left corner for his first try in Park colours (28-5). Sandbach had one more try three minutes from the end of the first half to round off a solid performance (35-5).
Half time score 35 - 5
With the second half underway this was going to be a tough day, but Park were determined not to let the score line dictate the game, but Sandbach maintained their pressure and showed their strength with tries on 46, 49 and 52 minutes to extend their lead and break a half century (56-5). Park did show their tenacity with a good break by Phil Lynch early in the half only to be isolated and giving away a penalty. On 54 minutes Sandbach were caught offside on their 22 and Park kicked for the corner, they secured the line out ball and set up a maul and Anthony Hopley peeled of the back and scored out second try and his first in Park colours (56-10). Sandbach did not release any pressure on Park and controlled the game and extended their lead even further with another four tries on 58, 65, 68 and 75 minutes (82-10). Park continued to fight until the final whistle and were rewarded with a third try on 76 minutes from the restart when Sandbach did not secure the ball but left it do over the sideline, Sandbach secured the line out and took in two phases but great counter rucking by Matty Davenport and Phil Lynch secured a penalty and Richard Hart took a quick tap passed to Jack O’Neill who passed out to Alex Burrage and then to wing Charlie Dexter who strolled in for a try in the right corner (82-15). Sandbach had the last points of the game on 79 minutes to round off an impressive win (89-15).
This was an extremely tough day for Park with some tough lessons learned but the team played for each other and fought hard throughout the game with a reshuffled team that have not played together.
Final score Sandbach 89 – 15 WPRFC
Team: Will Du Randt, Jack Fenner, Jack O’Neill, Alex Burrage, Charlie Dexter, Chris Twigg, Richard Hart, Phil Lynch, Anthony Hopley, Matty Davenport, Joe Hickey, Tom Dodson, Hanre Coetzee, Frankie Davenport, Ross Morrin, Tom Neill, Tom Richardson and Kieran Taylor
